The UK beat its target controversial 2.5 per cent biofuel target for all road fuel supplied to the UK, as part of the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO), provisional first year figures from the Renewable Fuels Agency (RFA) show.
Despite concerns over the true extent to which biofuels supplied to the UK can be considered ‘sustainable’ and ‘carbon saving’, the RFA has pushed ahead with the agenda to increase biofuel use. However, based on the RFA’s own ‘lifecycle analysis’ of biofuel emissions, the fuel supplied delivered a 47 per cent reduction in greenhouse gases compared to fossil fuels, exceeding the 40 per cent target. Notably though these savings do not yet include the indirect emissions identified in the famous Gallagher review; commissioned to assess the extent which biofuel production could be linked to rising food prices and destruction of natural habitat.
CEO of the RFA Nick Goodall commented: “These results have made tangible the evidence that sustainable biofuels are possible. However, some companies have failed to show a commitment to sourcing fuels that meet the required standard.”
The most challenging target for companies supplying biofuel was to meet the 30 per cent of target for biofuels which met environmental sustainability standards as part of the amended RTFO. Many companies did indeed rise to the challenge, but worringly others have still not reported any demonstrably sustainable fuel. Overall, 24 per cent of fuel reached the required level. The market for sustainable biofuels is young, and the RTFO aims to drive its development. In the UK, with well established sustainability programmes for agriculture, 99 per cent of feedstock met the required standard. In many other countries schemes for assessing biofuel crop sustainability are not yet available.
Aaron Berry, the RFA’s Head of Carbon and Sustainability, explained: “Progress by projects such as the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil3 and the Better Sugarcane Initiative show reason for optimism, as does the commitment of those companies that have undertaken their own sustainability audits.”
The reporting system is a stepping stone to mandatory sustainability, and the sustainability targets are all raised in the coming year. They should be achievable if suppliers commit to sourcing sustainably.
The data is yet subject to verification, and RFA will be report the finalised figures in January.
